Sidney bean is a nervous nelly. Not sure if that has anything to do with this story.She was acting a little anxious earlier and came over to sit real close to me, like she does during thunderstorms. I noticed she kept making weird faces. It was kind of like the funny smile my dogs do before they start vomiting. But it was mostly on one side of her face-- she kept pulling her lip back in a twisted smile. It kept happening for about 10 minutes. It wasn't constant, because she stopped for a minute when I tried to show Phil. After watching her for a few seconds, it started again. I guess I can't explain it better than one side of her cheek kept pulling back and then going normal then curling back up again.She seems fine otherwise.Any ideas? Just a weird twitch or spasm? Should I check her out for anything else? She has returned to normal now.

Has she been outside/chewing on anything recently? Toby once was grimacing weird for a few minutes before I realized that he had a piece of wood stuck between his teeth. You might check to make sure it's nothing like that.

That is really weird, I've never seen that before. Have you had her teeth checked recently? We've seen a lot of carnassial tooth infections, usually they form as an abscess on the face but I was thinking if she did have an infection maybe it could cause the nerves to get sensitive and her face could twitch?

I'd have her seen if it happens again, my first thoughts were as mentioned perhaps a tooth issue, maybe something got wedged in there, or it could be a focal seizure; again I'm not a vet or a tech Its excellent that you got video! If you do take her in, bring it with you, it might help the vet.

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
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"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07

Malli wrote:I'd have her seen if it happens again, my first thoughts were as mentioned perhaps a tooth issue, maybe something got wedged in there, or it could be a focal seizure; again I'm not a vet or a tech Its excellent that you got video! If you do take her in, bring it with you, it might help the vet.

Thanks Malli.I also work with a vet, so I will see if I can talk to her about it briefly today. I'll show her the video or email it to her. The video was from the second bout of it last night.

I occasionally saw exactly the same response from Spirit Trouble, but it was a response from a touch (petting).The same type of response that I'm sure you have seen with leg movement (scratching response) to a touch in a certain area.

Our Vet said it was caused by a skin sensitivity due to her allergy's.

The vet I work with suspects focal seizure or some sort of neurological something. She may be taking a trip to meet with some veterinary neurologists tomorrow and if she does, she will show them the video and see what they think.She told me she wouldn't be worried unless it seems to start happening often.

Since you've spoken to your vet already, I'm assuming this wasn't a possibility. Sure wish it was, that would definitely be nothing to worry about.

Nope, unfortunately I wasn't. But that doesn't rule out it being some sort of sensitivity similar to what you guys saw, I guess. She does get super sensitive on her sides sometimes an will twitch like that when I give her some good belly rubs. (Shades does too, and he'll stretch his neck out really long! )

The thing my vet friend (the vet in our lab) said that makes her think it could have been a focal seizure, aside from seeing the video, is that Sidney came and told me something was wrong. I guess this is called an "aura" when dogs know they are about to have a seizure. I hope she is able to get an opinion from the neurologists.

For now, I am just going to watch her and see if it happens again. It is not likely that we will be able to determine a cause at this time-- IF that's what it was. I think I'll at least call and talk to Sidney's vet to let him know what happened so we can document it. I'm glad I got the video.

Patch does it sometimes. it's usually one of two things with him, though. Either he's getting ready to puke and starts swalloing a lot at the same time.... OR if I'm petting or sometimes touch him in just the right spot then he'll do it too... But that's the only time I've ever seen him do it.

I'm sorry to have been right I agree, it only happened... once? perhaps it was a one-time thing. Don't worry too much yet! (I say that and I know easier said then done)

Her face reminds me a bit of Oscar, with her grey and her brindle.

Hopefully the neurologist people will have some insight.

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
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"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07

The neurologists agreed to take a look at the video and discuss it with my boss and my vet friend on Monday (their meeting from last week was postponed due to ice storm). She has done it several times since the night i took the video.

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
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"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07

Maybe it could be something simple kind of like Horner's Syndrome - I mean, there's no real explanation for what causes it/how long it'll last etc, but isn't anything serious. I'm hoping for a very simple - non-scary diagnoses for what it is.

I'm glad I caught it on video too! Too hard to tell someone about unless they see it happening. She hates cameras too, so that made it even harder.I'll look up Horner's Syndrome. I'm not familiar with it.

ParisStreetPitCrew wrote:I'm glad I caught it on video too! Too hard to tell someone about unless they see it happening. She hates cameras too, so that made it even harder.I'll look up Horner's Syndrome. I'm not familiar with it.

The left side of the dog's face is super tight. In my boss's golden retriever it made her lips tight, pulled her ears higher up onto her head and she can barely blink [mostly just do a lizard blink with her 3rd eyelid.] It's supposed to relieve itself but she has had it for 3-4 years. It doesn't hurt the dog and doesn't cause any serious issues and they don't really know why it happens [at least as far as I know.].

Although the twitching isn't like Horner's Syndrome it might be something similar, like some sort of a pinched nerve that is just causing her face to twitch. Again, sending good thoughts for an easy non-scary diagnoses.